Adjustable reference voltage system



March 27, 1951 R. R. THATCHER 2,546,799

ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE VOLTAGE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 28, 1949 lnv efitor: Robevt R. Thatchefi y VA /w.

His Attovn ey.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 omreo OeF'F'I'iCE Robert'RpThatcher,Schenectady, :Y.,:a;ssi gzir' to" GenenalzEle'cti ie: (lcmpanygyw-corporatioif of New Yorkappncanmrs'eptemhcr 28, 1949Se1 iaTN62 118326 Clidmss- (01.323- -438) 1; invention relates toanadjustable reference voltage unit for an electric motor'speed control system wherein themot'orspeed is controlled proportionally to a reference voltage.

Theadjustable reference voltage unit of this application is-to be used-in a motor speed-control systemsuch as thatdescribed in-my co-pending patent application Sella-181,052, now Patent No; 25073198; filed jointly with Edward H.' Din'ger on March 12; 1949} and assigned to'the same assign'ee' as the present application. The speed of response'ofsuch a systemto change or correct the speedof the motor being controlled maybe veryhi'gh'. A high speed of response, in most-instances, is desirable in order that'the'control'maypromptly correct for fluctuations in the desired. constant speed dueto changes in motor'loadi However, in this system, means is provided wherebythe operator may manually-change thespeed reference voltage to thereby change the speed-of the motor. This manual adjustment may be made over a relativelywide range in aye'ry short period of time, thusrequiring aninjuriousIy-exce'ssive transientcurrent inthe windings of the oontrolledmotor;

It is, therefore',- an object of my invention" to provide an adjustable reference voltage unit which will have a limited rate of change-ofthe" reference voltage independent of the speed with which the operator-attempts to maketh'e ad'-- justment, without detracting from the efiicien'cy or accuracy of the motor. speed; control or the speed of" response ofithe system when asp'eed correction signal is-required because ot-changingmotor loadpr other conditions.

Accordingly, my invention consists generally of a reference-voltage unit including an adjus'ta ble' voltage potentiometer and a, capacitor which is normallycharged to: the voltageof the platen tiometer and uni-directional conducting devices such as electronic valves interposed between the=' potentiometer and the capacitor to'prevent the capacitor from being charged or discharged through the potentiometer as the potentiometer is adjusted;v Separate circuits are 7 provided tor charging or discharging: the 'capacitor through the unidirectional.conducting means at-a limited rate": when the capacitor voltage; is i not: equal to" fliepotentiometer voltage, the reference voltage um't output being derived from the capacitor;

. For aibetter andmore-completeunderstanding: ofztheiinvention'; referencezshould no'wrbezhad to" thetfo'llowing specificationrand to theaccompany ingzdrawing: of. whichithe single figure is; a sch'ef maticidiagramotan embodimentiorthe invention; 7

Referring now to the drawing; terminals I, 2,

3, and d represent sources of direct current voltage which are of successi'vely" increasing magnitude. Thatis; terminal lis the negative ter-' mina l and-with'respect toterminal i, terminal-2' may beat l'0'5 vo'lts positive p'otential, terminal 3 at 210 volts, and" terminal at- 31 0 volts; The

voltages from terminal- I through 4 are respecmay conveyed'to my'adju'stahle reference volt age-unit by conductors 5, 6"; T; and 8'. The unit itself comprises a speed-controlling potentiom- Although the diodeval'ves may he of any suitable type, they are preferably- GHB-rectifi'er valves;

The speedcontrol potentiometer 9 is connected in" series with=the contacts-eta switch [1 across the conductors andli The valves I0 and II are connected in series relationship with each other and similarly valves l2 and [3 are connectedin series relationship with each other andin parallel with the valves I0 and II. The anodes lfltand' [2a are connected through a resistor l8 and rheost'at 15 to the positive su ply conductor 8*; and the cathodes H15 and [3b are connected through resistor l9 and rheostat 1 6' to the negative supply-conductor 5.

As shown, the slider atof 'speed' control poten ticmeter 9' is connected to" the cathode 1% and anode I la and capacitor- I tis connected between supply conductor 6' and the cathode [2b and anode I3iz: Across thesupply conductors fi -and 8 is connected an-electr'ic"valve 233" of which the control grid 20a is" connectedthrough a resistor 21 'tothe junc tion point 22' of the cathode i2?)- A resistor 2'3 c onne'eted 'in' the andanode [321. cathode circuit of valve 22}; provides cathode followcr operation. The voltage which appearsacross the cathode follower resistor 23' isthe reference-voltage; which is utilized for producing timed acceleration and dec'eleration' of the motor whichiscontrolled;

The' reference. voltage unit functions in the: following: manner :to produce-the reference volt age; 'In the'steady:state condition; the points in dicated: as! 22,24125' and-32E Willibe at approxi The resistors l3 and mately the same voltage.

Miami-preferably of highzimpedancegwthat is; in

the order oi one halfj me'gohm each. Wit-Ir a:

total impedance-of a' meg-ohm inzthecircuit, the

tube dropvof the valves: l'0';hl I lzaandi 1'3 isnegeligiblez Valve: I0= prevents: the voltage atpoint 24*, from becoming; morepos-itive: than the voltage of point 25. Similarly valve H prevents the voltage at point 26 from becoming more negative than point 25. The conducting action of valves l2 and [3 hold the voltage at point 22 equal to the voltage at points 24 and 26. When the voltage at point 25 is made more positive by movement of the slider 9a in the counterclockwise direction, the voltage at point 26 also becomes more positive owing to the action of valve II. This results in cutting off valves l and I 3 since the voltages of points 24 and 22 are maintained unchanged momentarily by the charge on capacitor 14. With valves Hi and I3 cut off, capacitor I 4 begins to charge through valve I2, resistor l8, and rheostat l5 at a rate determined by the setting of the rheostat, and the voltage across its terminals increases correspondingly.

Responsivel to this increasing voltage the conduction of valveis increased thereby increas ing the voltage drop acrossresistor 23 until the voltage at the cathode of valve 20 is substantially equal to the voltage of the grid which is equal to the voltage of the point 22. In other words, the voltage across the resistor 23 changes with the voltage across the capacitor It and at the same rate. Valve It begins to conduct again when the voltage at point 24 has increased to the value of the voltage at point 25, thereby to-prevent any further increase of voltage at points 24 and 22 and the circuit returns to the steady state condition.

Upon movement of the slider 9a in a clockwise direction to a position of less positive voltage on the potentiometer, the voltage at point 24 is made correspondingly less positive by the action of valve l0. This results in the cut-off of valves ll and 12 since the voltage at the points 22 and 26 is instantaneously maintained by the charge on the capacitor. With valves II and i2 cut off, the capacitor I4 begin to discharge through valve l3, resistor l9 and rheostat It at a rate determined by the setting of the rheostats Simultaneously, the reference voltage across the cathode follower resistor 23 will decrease as the voltage across the capacitor decreases and at the same rate. Valve ll conducts again when the voltages at point 26 has decreased to the voltage at point 25. This prevents any further decrease in the voltage at the points 22 and 26 and the circuit is returned to the steady state condition, Thus, the reference voltage unit produces across the resistor 23 an adjustable reference voltage having rates of increase or decrease which can be separately varied by adjustment of rheostats I5 and !6, respectively.

It will be seen from the above description that I have provided for a relatively simple and economical, though reliable, adjustable reference voltage unit employing one capacitor for limiting the rate of change of the reference voltage. While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since different modifications both in the circuit arrangement and in the instrumentalities employed may be made, and I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An adjustable direct current voltage supply unit comprising an adjustable voltage potentiometer and having adjustable voltage output terminal connections, a capacitor connected in 4 circuit between said potentiometer and said output terminals and adapted to be charged to a voltage corresponding to the setting of said potentiometer, four uni-directional conducting devices arranged in a bridge circuit configuration and connected at diametrically opposite corners to said capacitor and said potentiometer, capacitor charging and discharging circuits respectively connected to the remaining corners of said bridge circuit configuration and having separately adjustable resistances therein said uni-directional conducting devices being connected with polarities to provide two parallel current conducting paths between said charging and discharging circuits, the adjustment of said potentiometer determining the voltage charge level of said capacitor through control of conduction of said uni-directional conducting devices by said potentiometer.

2. An adjustable reference voltage unit comprising a grid controlled electronic valve having a cathode follower resistor across which the reference voltage appears, a capacitor connected to apply a capacitor charge voltage to a control grid of said electronic valve, a charging circuit for said capacitor comprising a first uni-directional conducting device and an adjustable resistance for adjusting the charging rate of said capacitor, a capacitor discharging circuit including a second uni-directional conducting device and a second adjustable resistance for separately adjustably controlling the discharge rate of said capacitor, the rate of change of said capacitor voltage and said reference voltage being thereby adjustably limited, a reference voltage setting potentiometer having an adjustable center tap, a third uni-directional conducting device connected between said adjustable center tap and the-junction between said first uni-directional conducting device and said adjustablecapacitor charging circuit resistor, a fourth uni-directional conducting device connected between said adjustable center tap and the junction between said second uni-directional conducting device and said adjustable discharge circuit resistor, said second and third uni-directional conducting devices being adapted to prevent charging of said capacitor by said potentiometer and to allow charging by said capacitor charging'circuit, and said first and fourth uni-directional conducting devices being adapted to prevent discharge of said capacitor by said potentiometer and to allow discharging by said discharging circuit, the ultimate level of charge on said capacitor nevertheless being determined by the adjustment of said potentiometer wherebythe potentiometer controls the magnitude of the reference voltage, but with a'limited rate of change of said reference voltage as independently determined by said capacitor charging and discharging resistances upon sudden changes in the adjustment of said potentiometer.

3. An adjustable reference voltage unit having predetermined maximum rates of voltage change and comprising a first pair of series-connected unidirectional conducting devices, a capacitor connected at the common connection of said devices, one of said devices comprising a charging pathv and the other of said devices comprising. a discharging path for said capacitor, separate impedances connected in series in said charging and discharging paths for separately determining the charge and discharge rates of said capacitor, 2. second pair of series-connected unidirectional conducting devices connected in parallel with saidfirst pair of unidirectional conducting devices and an adjustable source of voltage connected to the common connection of said second pair of devices for controlling the voltage level of charge of said capacitor.

4. An adjustable reference voltage unit having predeterminable maximum voltage change rate limits and comprising a first pair of series-connected unidirectional conducting devices, a capacitor connected at the common connection of said devices, one of said devices comprising a charging path and the other of said devices comprising a discharging path for said capacitor, separate impedances connected in series in said charging and discharging paths for separately determining the charge and discharge rates of said capacitor, a second pair of series-connected unidrectional conducting devices connected in parallel with said first pair of unidirectional conducting devices and a potentiometer adapted for connection to a source of voltage and having an adjustable center tap connected to the common connection of said second pair of devices for controlling the voltage level of charge of said capacitor.

5. An adjustable reference voltage unit comprising a capacitor, a charging circuit for said capacitor comprising a first unidirectional conducting device and an adjustable resistance for adjusting the charging rate of said capacitor, a capacitor discharging circuit including a second unidirectional conducting device and a second adjustable resistance for separately adjustably controlling the discharge rate of said capacitor,

the rate of change of said capacitor voltage being thereby adjustably limited, a voltage setting potentiometer having an adjustable center tap,

a third unidirectional conducting device connected between said adjustable center tap and the junction between said first unidirectional conducting device and said adjustable capacitor charging circuit resistor, a fourth unidirectional conducting device connected between said .adjustable center tap and the junction between said second unidirectional conducting device and said adjustable discharge circuit resistor, said second and third unidirectional conducting devices being connected with polarities to prevent current flow for charging said capacitor from said potentiometer, and said first and fourth unidirectional conducting devices being connected with polarities to prevent current flow for discharging said capacitor from said potentiometer, said charge and discharge currents being thereby restricted respectively to said charge and discharge circuits, the ultimate level of charge voltage on said capacitor being determined by the adjustment of said potentiometer whereby the potentiometer controls the magnitude of the reference Voltage, but with a limited rate of change of said reference voltage as independently determined by said capacitor charging and discharging resistances in response to sudden changes in the adjustment of said potentiometer.

ROBERT R. THATCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAENTS Number Name Date 2,480,795 Wagner et al Aug. 30, 1949 2,487,510 Baker Mar. 8, 1949 

